LIVE from Anthem of the Seas Transatlantic October 2022

[FionaMG]

51 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

I was not able to get warm cookies the 28 days I was in her in May. It was a disappointment.

 

We got them once, purely by chance, as we didn't even know this was a thing. It was latish in the lunch hour, some time after 2 pm.

[karl_nj]

2 hours ago, laurieal said:

I saw they had books, but I would rather have something I can take home with me in case I have not finished when the cruise ends. 

 

That's good that the books are back.  I think they may have been MIA last Christmas. I assume due to COVID-19.  Though it's possible I'm mixing up Oasis from last October.

[dani negreanu]

3 hours ago, laurieal said:

I’m afraid I’m almost done reading the last book I had downloaded for this trip. Of course, I could re-read the Harry Potter or Song of Ice and Fire series in order to do better at trivia next time, but if anyone has any books recommendations I’d be happy to check them out and buy them digitally. 
 

I prefer fiction and tend to enjoy a good mystery while on vacation. Bonus points of you know any good books that take place on a cruise ship. 

 

Laurie, as an avid reader, I can relate... so, there is a list of books Joanie (thanks 🌷), aka @GeorgiaPeach51 compiled from various cruisers' recommendations, mine too (in red). Enjoy --

 

Here is the latest book list, updated.  😁

Joanie
 

 

Book Series to Read

 

Georges Simenon Series 

Gideon Oliver -Aaron  Elkins  series 

Louise Penny’s Gamache series.

Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey series

Any books by Josephine Tey

Barbara Hambly - Benjamin January series, if you like historical mysteries!

JD Robb books and Robert B Parker

The Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell 

MC Beaton books 

Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley Series.  

Donna Leon’s Brunetti series. 

Any books by Tana French

Any books by P. D. James.  

Greg Isles, a writer from Natchez, MS.

Snowblind” by Ragnar Jonasson.  (Book 1 of 6 - DarkIceland)

Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger.  Also non-series books.

Brad Thor

JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series), writing under the name Robert Galbraith -- the    

     Cormoran Strike series.

Andrea Camilleri -- the Inspector Montalbano series.

Helen Fields -- the Perfect series.

Karin Slaughter -- the Will Trent series, Grant Country Line series. 

Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

James Crumley —should be read in order

Winston Graham—Poldark series

Janet Evanovich—Stephanie Plum series.  Fox and Hare series.

Anything by Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiassen 

Old Archie comic books and Mad Magazine. 🙂

Ian Rankin’s Rebus series

Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series

Nevada Barr’s National Parks series

Anything by Anne Cleeves

Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes - current times

Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry - Victorian era

 (and if you are planning a trip to Egypt check out theAmelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.  4 books.

The Longmire books by Craig Johnson.  Also suggest the fantastic series on Netflix.

David McCullough 'Path Between the Seas' (Panama Canal)

Caroline Graham Inspector Barnaby series. 

John Sandford , the Prey series and the Virgil Flowers series

Any books by Harlan Coben

Khalid Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner

Cupcake Brown, A Piece of Cake

Andy Weir, “not science fiction but science plausibility”

Danelle Harmon Series

Caleb Carr -  The Alienist.

Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders/Susan Ryeland Series.  Also Horowitz & Hawthorne series

Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe books, later written by Robert Goldsborough

Ruth Ware

Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington series.  #61 just published.

Tess Gerritson

Lisa Scottoline.

Michael Connelly Bosch books

Lee Child Reacher series

James Lee Burke Robicheaux

Patricia Cornell Scarpetta books, Andy Brazil series

Jonathan Kellerman Delaware books

Greg Iles

Jeffrey Deaver Lincoln Rhymes series

Nelson DeMille

John Grisham

Scott Turow

Pat Conroy...more family drama than mystery

The Outlander series

Brad Meltzer

Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six (same author)

I just finished American Dirt and loved it so much I bought two more of her books.  

Iris Johansen (EveDuncan series, and others).

Colin Dexter Inspector Morse series

David Baldacci—Amos Decker, Atlee Pine and John Puller series

JA Jance

Karen Rose

Carol Goodman, The Stranger Behind You, plus multiple other books.  Contemporary suspenseful fiction.

Chris Carter -  Robert Hunter Series -   I just started #5 One by One

Jefferson Bass -  Body Farm Series -       Based on the Body Farm at UT Knoxville.    

Joe R. Lansdale -  Hap and Leonard -  probably one of the most politically incorrect novel you will ever 

           read - two Red Necks as they take justice into their own hands.   Keeps me in stitches.

 

Sara Parestky -  The V.I. Warhawski Series  -  I just started "indemnity Only(1982) and is #1 of 21

Sue Grafton—the Kinsey Millhone series

Ian Cross—-the Ackerman thrillers

Ginny Rorby—Like Dust I Rise

 

[ecslady]

Here's two books set on a cruise ship. They are on my to read list, as they have gotten some good reviews.

 

Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them by Stan Evans.  This is non-fiction but seems interesting. 

 

Danger on the Atlantic (A Jane Wunderly Mystery Book 3) by Erica Ruth Neubauer

 

Thanks for the pics of the virtual balcony at different times.  Can't wait to see a pic of when you are in port.

 

[Royalnina]

4 hours ago, laurieal said:

Day 7 - continued

 

On my way out, I made a short detour to the outside promenade on Deck 5, which had been closed due to weather for most of the cruise.
 

 

 

Most of it was roped off, so I couldn’t see much, but I did see a group of cruising ducks chatting about shore excursions. 

 

 

 

Shore Excursions have accumulated quite the collection! Meanwhile, I have still found 0 and according the the roll call the place is crawling with ducks. 

We found 5 (!) on Odyssey… so good luck to you 😃

also good luck with the cookies… I remember it being awesome… we asked them, when they will bake new ones and just stayed there… there was always a long line when people smelled it and they went really quick

[AndyLovesCruises]

Amazing review. Buzzing for our trip Jan 2nd ! 
 

does anyone have any experience of the kids club? (Royal tots) 

 

does anyone have images of the evening sleep area (with cots) where little ones can sleep ? (Paid service)  

 

💤🛏

[njkruzer]

Just rode the bumper cars.  Hadn't done that since our last Anthem cruise in October 2019.  They just (last week) redid the surface and I think the cars are new, seem a little slower.  There's a person in an open basket attached to a movable arm above the cars controlling things.  We always have fun and definitely think the average age of the drivers is north of 50!  Definitely a don't miss thing to do.

[Teeara]

On 10/19/2022 at 1:42 PM, crzndeb said:

If you don’t feel like day drinking and you have any vouchers left, stop by any bar on your way back to your cabin in the evening, and get some unopened cans or bottles of anything and take back to your cabin.

I’m not really a day drinker anymore, and I drink martini’s, so I’m not going to be drinking 5 of those in the evening, or I would end up on Youtube.

Also, since I’m a solo traveler, if I happen to be chatting with someone for a while, I may get them a drink. You can share these.

 

Debbie

PS I love your live reports. I will be boarding the Wonder TA on the 30th, and I loved your review.

Hey Deb, you can always "gift" me with one of those "extra" drinks during the Wonder TA ;o)

[Teeara]

On 10/20/2022 at 1:17 PM, laurieal said:

If the image is yellow-ish, then I scanned the paper compass (like Day 2) with the iScanner app on my phone. For the non-yellow compasses I took a screen capture of the digital compass. 

Thanks for that info!  I've never heard of iScanner before.  Going to try that for my Wonder TA livestream.

Edited October 25, 2022 by Teeara

[Teeara]

On 10/21/2022 at 7:13 AM, ecslady said:

Loving your review.  I was wondering if at some point you can post a few pics of different views/times (the seas/in port/day/evening etc.) of the virtual balcony. I have never stayed in one, but was wondering if it truly looks like what you would see if in a real balcony. Sometimes I cruise solo and always thought it might be a good option to save some money. Thank you.

That is a great suggestion.

[Teeara]

On 10/22/2022 at 12:41 PM, bnaselli said:

Hello.  I was wondering if you Anthem cruisers could help with a place for cruise critic people to meet on sea days.  Do you think the Two70 at 2:00 would work?  Thank you,  Barbara

Loving hearing about your TA.  We are on next Oct. 15th 2023 TA.

I think you can email anthemevents@rccl.com and someone on Anthem will be able to work directly with you.  I was able to work directly with someone on Wonder at wonderevents@rccl.com in order to get Music Hall for our upcoming Wonder TA next week.

[Teeara]

19 hours ago, ecslady said:

Here's two books set on a cruise ship. They are on my to read list, as they have gotten some good reviews.

 

Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them by Stan Evans.  This is non-fiction but seems interesting. 

 

Thanks for this one!  I got it for my Kindle.  Backup reading for the TA next week in case I need it.

[Teeara]

All caught up now.  I love your reviews.  I really like the split nature of them, too.  I think I might try that, too.  I love your photos and descriptions.  Have the seas calmed down for you?  How have the temps been?  It looks like they have warmed up a bit based on what the Compasses are listing.  Have they said anything about the new system that's brewing off the East Coast and how you might be affected by it?  Continued safe travels to you!  We fly to Spain tomorrow and our adventure begins.  Oh, and if you run into that Spanish gentleman again...

 

Strawberry:  Fresa

Mango:  Mango

Rum:  Ron

Peach:  Durazno

Mango Lava Flow:  Flujo de lava de mango

Peach Lava Flow:  Flujo de lava de melocotón

Please keep your hands off me:  Por favor, mantén tus manos fuera de mí.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

@dani negreanu  I added the new suggestions.  Here is the hot off the presses newest list.  I hope we get to meet someday!  Based on the red books, we have the same tastes in reading material!

 

Joanie

 

 

Georges Simenon Series 

Gideon Oliver -Aaron  Elkins  series 

Louise Penny’s Gamache series.

Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey series

Any books by Josephine Tey

Barbara Hambly - Benjamin January series, if you like historical mysteries!

JD Robb books and Robert B Parker

The Scarapetta series by Patricia Cornwell 

MC Beaton books 

Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley Series.  

Donna Leon’s Brunetti series. 

Any books by Tana French

Any books by P. D. James.  

Greg Isles, a writer from Natchez, MS.

Snowblind” by Ragnar Jonasson.  (Book 1 of 6 - DarkIceland)

Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger.  Also non-series books.

Brad Thor

JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series), writing under the name Robert Galbraith -- the    

     Cormoran Strike series.

Andrea Camilleri -- the Inspector Montalbano series.

Helen Fields -- the Perfect series.

Karin Slaughter -- the Will Trent series, Grant Country Line series. 

Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

James Crumley —should be read in order

Winston Graham—Poldark series

Janet Evanovich—Stephanie Plum series.  Fox and Hare series.

Anything by Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiassen 

Old Archie comic books and Mad Magazine. 🙂

Ian Rankin’s Rebus series

Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series

Nevada Barr’s National Parks series

Anything by Anne Cleeves

Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes - current times

Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry - Victorian era

 (and if you are planning a trip to Egypt check out theAmelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters)

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.  4 books.

The Longmire books by Craig Johnson.  Also suggest the fantastic series on Netflix.

David McCullough 'Path Between the Seas' (Panama Canal), and The Great Bridge

Caroline Graham Inspector Barnaby series. 

John Sandford , the Prey series and the Virgil Flowers series

Any books by Harlan Coben

Khalid Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner

Cupcake Brown, A Piece of Cake

Andy Weir, “not science fiction but science plausibility”

Danelle Harmon Series

Caleb Carr -  The Alienist.

Anthony Horowitz, Magpie Murders/Susan Ryeland Series.  Also Horowitz & Hawthorne series

Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe books, later written by Robert Goldsborough

Ruth Ware

Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington series.  #61 just published.

Tess Gerritson

Lisa Scottoline.

Michael Connelly Bosch books

Lee Child Reacher series

James Lee Burke Robicheaux

Patricia Cornell Scarpetta books, Andy Brazil series

Jonathan Kellerman Delaware books

Greg Iles

Jeffrey Deaver Lincoln Rhymes series

Nelson DeMille

John Grisham

Scott Turow

Pat Conroy...more family drama than mystery

The Outlander series

Brad Meltzer

Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six (same author)

I just finished American Dirt and loved it so much I bought two more of her books.  

Iris Johansen (EveDuncan series, and others).

Colin Dexter Inspector Morse series

David Baldacci—Amos Decker, Atlee Pine and John Puller series

JA Jance

Karen Rose

Carol Goodman, The Stranger Behind You, plus multiple other books.  Contemporary suspenseful fiction.

Chris Carter -  Robert Hunter Series -   I just started #5 One by One

Jefferson Bass -  Body Farm Series -       Based on the Body Farm at UT Knoxville.    

Joe R. Lansdale -  Hap and Leonard -  probably one of the most politically incorrect novel you will read - two Red Necks as they take justice into their own hands.   Keeps me in stitches.

Sara Parestky -  The V.I. Warhawski Series  -  I just started "indemnity Only(1982) and is #1 of 21

Sue Grafton—the Kinsey Milhone series

Ethan Cross—-the Ackerman thrillers

Ginny Rorby—Like Dust I Rise

Jacqueline Winspear—Maisie Dobbs series

Carlos Ruiz Zafón "The Shadow of the Wind", set in Barcelona, with a walking tour at the end of the book. Cemetery of Forgotten Books—4 Book series. 

Mark Kurlansky—Cod (good for a Canada/New England cruise)

John U. Bacon—The Great Halifax Explosion 

James Patterson—When the Wind Blows series

Ken Follett—Pillars of the Earth series, Century series, Eye of the Needle

 

Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them by Stan Evans.  This is non-fiction but seems interesting. 

Danger on the Atlantic (A Jane Wunderly Mystery Book 3) by Erica RuthNeubauer

 

 

 

 

 

 

[floridagal83]

laurieal, I am enjoying your review. The virtual balcony looks an option to save money versus the real thing. How do you like it? Would you book it again? Thank you.

[Another_Critic]

45 minutes ago, Vikequeen123 said:

laurieal, I am enjoying your review. The virtual balcony looks an option to save money versus the real thing. How do you like it? Would you book it again? Thank you.

I want to try a VB sometime, but I'm 0 for 3.

 

Quantum - booked VB guarantee, free upgrade to OV balcony

Anthem - booked VB guarantee, free upgrade to OV

Anthem - booked VB guarantee, self upgraded to OV balcony for less money 

[laurieal]

7 hours ago, Teeara said:

All caught up now.  I love your reviews.  I really like the split nature of them, too.  I think I might try that, too.  I love your photos and descriptions.  Have the seas calmed down for you?  How have the temps been?  It looks like they have warmed up a bit based on what the Compasses are listing.  Have they said anything about the new system that's brewing off the East Coast and how you might be affected by it?  Continued safe travels to you!  We fly to Spain tomorrow and our adventure begins.  Oh, and if you run into that Spanish gentleman again...

 

Strawberry:  Fresa

Mango:  Mango

Rum:  Ron

Peach:  Durazno

Mango Lava Flow:  Flujo de lava de mango

Peach Lava Flow:  Flujo de lava de melocotón

Please keep your hands off me:  Por favor, mantén tus manos fuera de mí.

Splitting the reviews have an advantage j has t thought of: if there’s an error while I’m posting or if I accidentally hit the back button and my draft isn’t saved (I’m ashamed at how often that happens), then I only have a small section to re-do. 
 

The seas have definitely calmed down for the last three days. While I wasn’t suffering with sea sickness, I’m glad that showering is back to being a normal activity instead of an extreme sport. It’s been nice enough that people are using the outdoor pool and the loungers, as long as they’re in the sun. A lot of people on this cruise are from the UK, so I’m not surprised to see people using the outdoor facilities. 
 

I haven’t heard anything about a system in the East Coast, but if anyone has feel free to chime in!

 

Thanks for all the Spanish vocabulary! I should have guessed Fresa, it’s also the same as in French. 
 

Wishing you a nice flight tomorrow and a lovely time on Wonder. I’ll keep an eye out for your review. 

[laurieal]

3 hours ago, Vikequeen123 said:

laurieal, I am enjoying your review. The virtual balcony looks an option to save money versus the real thing. How do you like it? Would you book it again? Thank you.

I like the virtual balcony and I wouldn’t hesitate to book it again. I would still book an ocean view window before a virtual balcony if the price difference wasn’t too big, but I like what the virtual balcony does to the stateroom (to me, it feels more open than a regular inside). I also like keeping the curtains open during the night so when I wake up I can tell at a glance if I can go back to sleep or if I should consider getting up. 
 

So yeah…I would never say it’s as good as an actual balcony, but I don’t think it’s advertised as such. I will say it’s definitely better than staring at a wall in an inside stateroom. 
 

Edited October 25, 2022 by laurieal

[laurieal]

Day 8 Compass

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 8

 

Hello from the pub, whose name I can never remember. Is it the Buck & Bassoon? The menu doesn’t say and I don’t want to go all the way outside to check. It’s the English pub. 

 

I was up earlier than usual and the Diamond Lounge was empty when I got there, except for the person manning the desk who came up to me and asked if my name was Laurie. Another fan of my very famous reviews, I thought. Can’t go anywhere without getting recognized. 

 

Turned out she wanted to tell me that a Pinnacle man had been asking about me. Excellent, I thought, already planning my wedding to this mysterious Pinnacle in order to inherit his status.  I halted all wedding preparations when she told me his name. He was a cruising friend of my parents looking to meet up for a drink. I gave her my stateroom number and left without a future husband, but with a cappuccino. 

 

I went up to the Solarium which was still dark as the sun was still rising. I stuck with my old favourites for breakfast, but I felt adventurous and I went for a pastry. Also, I hadn’t had chocolate milk in ages, so I grabbed one. 

 

 

 

 

[laurieal]

Day 8 - continued 

After breakfast, I wanted to enjoy the sunshine outside, but it was a bit cold and windy even for me. Instead, I found a spot close to the indoor pool.

 

 

 

I asked for a Lava Flow and we did the dance. 

 

«  Alcohol, ma’am? » he asked. 

 

« Hmm, I don’t know, what time is it? Oh fine, if you insist I’ll have it with alcohol. »

 

Flawless. 

 

My peach Lava Flow looked and tasted nothing like the one from the day before, but it was an enjoyable drink in the heat of the indoor pool area. I was there for a while, finishing my book and playing my video game

 

 

I like the accessibility of the indoor pool area. There is a lot of room between the loungers and the pool, so one has plenty of space to access and use the pool lift without having to ask a whole row of loungers to move, which is usually the case at the outdoor pool. If I were to use a pool on this sailing, it would definitely be this one. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by laurieal

[laurieal]

At one point, I had to go back to my stateroom and I saw something in there I bad never seen before… a ship!

 

 

In the afternoon, I went to the Perry Grant matinée, as did many people. The theatre wasn’t full, but it was a lot busier than the Name that Tune Live show from the day before. His style of humour really tickles me, so I enjoyed the show a lot. 

 

 

 

After the show, I rushed to Name that 90s Tune, which is the only decade they’re doing on the ship that I can hope to do relatively well at. I teamed up with another girl who was also a youth in the 90s and I think we did quite well. 

 

After Name that Tune, I was meeting my parents’ cruising friend who had been asking about me in the Diamond Lounge. We had been leaving each other messages during the day and had agreed to meet at Vintages before dinner for some Cosmos.
 

 

On the way, I recorded my heartbeat in the big art piece. 
 

 

[laurieal]

Day 8 - continued

 

Dinner that night was at Chops. From my table, I could look into the Chef’s Table room from afar and see Edwin presenting the different wines to the guests. I sighed a sigh of envy as I drank my Pink Grapefruit Sparkle. I had a good meal at Chops, although the service was just fine.  

 

 

For my appetizer, I asked if they could make a smaller portion of the Spicy Jumbo Shrimp, which they did. Then, I had the Wild Mushroom Soup, which I always love. That thing warms me to my very soul, it’s magical. 
 

 

 

Then, I had the Petite Filet with Peppercorn Sauce, Truffled French Fries and some Mac & Cheese. I could have done without the Mac & Cheese, which I found a bit bland, but the rest was very good. 

 

 

There was no way I was going to be able to eat dessert, so I took my Key Lime Meringue Pie to go. 

 

 

Despite it being quite early, I was exhausted, so I headed straight to my stateroom. In the elevator, someone asked me if my name was laurieal. See? I told you I couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized because of my incredibly famous reviews!

[DaniDanielle]

Your reviews are famous!  The ship looks very clean, have they revitalized it?

[laurieal]

10 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

Your reviews are famous!  The ship looks very clean, have they revitalized it?

As far as I know, no.